Globe Theater

"Totus Mundus Agit Histrionum", the whole world moves the actor, was a common fraise associated with the globe theater of the Shakespearian era. This new 'theatre', erected in London by James Burbadge, began construction in 1576 and was in use by the summer of 1577, despite its not being completely finished. Many actors were in fact homeless, and traveled from hall to hall, performing and relocating wherever work proved to be available; however, the globe theater would help anchor their occupation to one location. Despite the globe's inheritance of the amphitheatres of Ancient Rome, they began construction immediately in order to complete the theater.

The structure itself required timber, nails, stone (flint), plaster and thatched roofs in order to support its twenty to twenty-four sided structures with a diameter of up to one-hundred feet. It consisted of a square platform (stage) raised approximately five feet that was located at the theater's centre. Both the audience and actors were susceptible to precipitation on account of the theater's opening to the sky. Viewers were given an array of locations from which to spectate, depending upon the money they paid. The Globe consisted of a yard and three galleries, one above the other; the viewer's location was dependent upon the fee you paid to the doorman in the hallways leading to the seating. Plays were always performed during the daytime, during which the audience was free to move about, talk, eat, and such.

If one were to attend such a performance, they would first enter through the main entrance, placing one penny's fee in 'the box'. If you chose to utilize 'the yard', you would be exposed to a series of stands selling merchandise, while menaced by the threat of rain and the agony of standing for the duration of the play. If you chose to seat yourself more comfortably, you would follow a series of stairs, one for each gallery ascended. For every staircase you climbed, there would be another penny fee collected at each staircase's beginning. Each gallery was covered by a roof, plays were only performed during summer months, and necessities such as heat and light for the winter months were unavailable. Other necessities, such as 'restrooms', were not available.

When looking onto the wooden stage, which often varied in size, one would notice a large roofed area at the back of the stage, supported by two columns. These pillars also served the purpose of supporting the area above, known as the heavens. The heavens